Text Size

-

+

reset

Axelrod said Boehner “understands how ill-conceived this whole notion is” but that he “bowed” to tea party members of the party in allowing a vote on a continuing resolution that funds the government past Sept. 30 except for Obamacare.

The MSNBC contributor said Boehner knows that the House will pass the resolution, but that the Senate will reject it and send something back to the House that doesn’t defund Obamacare.

“And then the question is, what will he do?” Axelrod said. “If he puts it out on the House floor, it will pass, but it may not pass with a majority of Republicans. And is he willing to do that? Because that could risk his speakership.”

Axelrod said requiring a majority of Republicans for a vote “is in this case a suicidal impulse.”

“Each way he turns, he faces danger,” Axelrod said. “He’s had bad luck lately in trying to rally his caucus behind any kind of half common-sensical sorts of approaches to this. … If he does the right thing, it could cost him his speakership. If he doesn’t do the right thing, it could cost every American dearly.”

The House is set to vote on the continuing resolution on Friday. Government funding runs out Sept. 30.